EP1338507B1 - Information and display device for a passenger service unit in a passenger aircraft - Google Patents

Abstract

The information and display device has an integrated display (3,3') for flexible representation of information content connected over a bus system (4) to at least one operating and control unit (10,11,11A,12,5,6,6'), which is connected to information input arrangements (7,8) via interfaces. The data bus system and at least partly the operating and control units are formed by a data communications system and associated components present in the aircraft.

Description

The invention relates to an information and display device for a supply unit of a passenger aircraft.

In the passenger cabin of an aircraft supply units, so-called PSU's (Passenger Service Units) are usually arranged above the passenger seats, provide the supply and information functions to the passenger available. For example, reading lights, steward call buttons, information signs and loudspeakers are integrated in the supply units. Among other things DE 34 26 893 A1 Such passenger supply and information units are known. So far, set in the supply units specified, unchanging information for the passengers. These are in most cases the fast-seat-belt and non-smoking signs. For this purpose, printed, backlit discs are used. For the backlight incandescent or LED are used. The disadvantage is that the contents displayed are not changeable or can only be changed by replacing the complete display modules. The space available in the PSU can therefore only be used to display the two specified characters.

However, if other informative or entertaining content is to be displayed to the passengers (eg flight altitude, remaining flight time, connecting flights, stock quotes, weather forecast, etc.), the installation of complex information systems such as Inflight Entertainment (IFE) or Passenger Flight Information (PFIS) is required. ) Systems required. These systems require very high investment and involve relatively heavy components. For example, tape recorders (Video Tape Reproducers), storage units (cassette stowage units) and control units are provided. Further, the installation of additional screens is required in the cabin.

In many cases, however, such systems are oversized. On short-haul flights, there is often little time to make meaningful use of such a system. Furthermore, aircraft are mainly used on these flights, in which the additional weight of such information systems leads to a significant reduction in the payload and thus to a more uneconomical operation of the aircraft. The economic use of complex in-flight entertainment systems with additional monitors and relatively heavy devices is therefore hardly possible in these cases.

The present invention is therefore based on the object to form a generic information and display device, the passengers and the crew informative and / or entertaining content while avoiding the disadvantages described. In particular, flexible information contents are to be provided while avoiding relatively heavy components and additional screens, which means a considerable improvement in the comfort of the passenger as well as easier work for the flight attendant during the flight.

This object is achieved in a generic information and display device by the measures mentioned in claim 1.

It is particularly advantageous that compared to the previous state of Technology is a flexible, universal use of the available area in the supply unit is possible. This results in significant added value for passengers, airlines and their partners.
No additional displays need to be mounted outside the supply unit in the passenger cabin of an aircraft. This leads to significant weight and cost reductions. In the case of aircraft with an existing data transmission system (eg CIDS), it is possible to integrate the functionalities into this system and thus achieve a further reduction in components, weights and investments.
The system weight and system costs are significantly reduced compared to the known in-flight entertainment systems.
By a significant increase and flexibility of information content, for example, the display of all information including the security relevant multilingual can be done. The displays are also advantageous as aids for hard of hearing passengers in announcements by the flight crew.

Further developments and advantageous embodiments are specified in claims 2 to 10. Further advantages emerge from the following detailed description.

In the drawings, embodiments of the invention are shown, which are described below with reference to Figures 1 to 4 in more detail. In the figures, the same components are provided with the same reference numerals.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Darstellung der Komponenten der erfindungsgemäßen Informations- und Anzeigeeinrichtung einer ersten Ausführungsform,

Fig. 2

die Informations- und Anzeigeeinrichtung in einer zweiten Ausführungsform,

Fig. 3

eine Perspektivdarstellung einer Versorgungseinheit mit integriertem Display der erfindungsgemäßen Informations- und Anzeigeeinrichtung

und

Fig. 4

Varianten der Darstellung von Informationen auf dem Anzeigedisplay.

Show it:

Fig. 1

a schematic representation of the components of the information and display device according to the invention of a first embodiment,

Fig. 2

the information and display device in a second embodiment,

Fig. 3

a perspective view of a supply unit with integrated display of the information and display device according to the invention

and

Fig. 4

Variants of presentation of information on the display.

• Eingabe und Formatierung von Informationsinhalten am Boden und/oder an Bord eines Passagierflugzeuges
• Schnittstelle zu anderen Flugzeugsystemen (z.B. Avionik)
• Schnittstelle zum Flugzeug zur Übertragung von Informationen vom Boden oder aus der Luft
• Speicherung von Informationsinhalten an Bord des Flugzeuges
• Übertragung des Informationsinhaltes zu mehreren Anzeigedisplays
• Anzeige der Informationsinhalte
• Möglichkeit der Bedienung des Systems und Auswahl von Informationen

An information and display device 1 according to the invention consists of several components both on the ground and on board of aircraft in order to provide the following functionalities:

• Input and formatting of information content on the ground and / or on board a passenger aircraft
• Interface to other aircraft systems (eg avionics)
• Interface to the aircraft for transmitting information from the ground or from the air
• Storage of information content on board the aircraft
• Transmission of the information content to several display displays
• Display of information content
• Possibility of operating the system and selecting information

Due to different technical conditions in an aircraft, it is necessary to provide correspondingly different embodiments of the information and display device.
In Fig. 1, the structure of the information and display device 1 is shown in a first embodiment, wherein an integration of this device 1 in an on-plane system for performing passenger-related and / or flight attendant related functions, called CIDS (Cabin Intercommunication Data System) takes place , Such a system is for example off DE 34 26 893 which, inter alia, provides passenger-related functions in the passenger cabin of an aircraft. Usually above passenger seats supply units 2 (or 2 '), so-called PSU's (Passenger Service Units) are arranged to provide the supply and information functions to the passenger. Among other things, reading lamps, steward call buttons, signs and speakers are provided (see also Fig. 3). In each case a display screen 3, 3 'is arranged on a supply unit 2 or 2'. The display 3 or 3 'is provided as a graphics-capable display for flexible display of information. On this display 3, 3 'both the safety-relevant information signs (seat belt sign, no smoking sign, etc.) and informative and entertaining content can be displayed.
Some possibilities of display and content of information are shown in more detail in FIG. The transmission of the information takes place in this embodiment via a data bus system 4, which is already installed for an existing data transmission system (known as CIDS system) in the passenger cabin. This system further includes an addressable decoder / encoder unit 5 as well as an interface and supply unit 6, 6 ', called PISA (Passenger Interface and Supply Adapter), which are used as control and control units for the respectively assigned supply units 2, 2'. are provided. The feed of the information can be done on the one hand via an airline-specific interface or standard interfaces, both information provided are stored in a storage medium 7, as well as during a flight updated data from the avionics systems of the aircraft or via a suitable wireless transmission technology 8 (eg ACARS 8A) from the ground to the aircraft or satellite technology (eg Satcom 8B) be transmitted. The data thus received are fed via a corresponding interface 9 and a director 10 (central computer of the CIDS) in the aircraft-internal data bus 4.
As memory media conventionally known techniques may be used, such as CD-ROMs 7A, memory cards 7B and / or floppy disks 7C or USB memory (not shown). A selection, modification, feeding of the information by flight attendants or flight personnel is provided via an operating panel 11 with optionally an additional keyboard 12 or via a touch screen of the flight attendant panel 11A of the CIDS system.
With the use of the CIDS system, it is also possible to realize the display of various contents depending on the passenger class (car zone). For example, special information / offers for the 1 _st Class, stock market prices in Business Class and the flight level in Economy Class can be displayed. An individual addressing of the seats and thus a seat-dependent display of information content is also possible when using a suitable addressing mechanism. The necessary information of the cabin layout can be found in the CIDS system.

2, a second embodiment of an information and display device 100 is shown, wherein the essential components of the device 100 correspond to the components of the information and display device 1 of the first embodiment. Thus, in principle, reference is made to the preceding description. For the transmission of the data, however, it is not possible here to resort to a data transfer system already installed in the aircraft, such as the aforementioned CIDS system. As a data bus system 400 both wired, for example, based on the standard RS485 system and wireless systems such as wireless LAN, Bluetooth or infrared can be used. The display displays 300 and 300 'are spatially in each case in a supply unit integrated (see Fig. 3), the information transfer can, however, be independent of the other functions of the supply unit.
As already described, the information can be fed in via a storage medium 7, such as, inter alia, CD-ROM 7A, memory card 7B, diskette 7C or via a suitable wireless transmission technology 8 (eg ACARS 8A) from the ground to the aircraft or via satellite technology ( eg Satcom 8B). Also, during a flight, updated data originating from the avionics systems of the aircraft may be used. The data thus received are fed into the aircraft-internal data bus system 400 via a corresponding interface 900 and a control and monitoring unit 110. A selection, modification, feeding of information or a possible assignment of the information to a class division is provided via a computing and operating unit 120 and / or a control and monitoring unit 110. An individual addressing of the seats and thus the content to be displayed is flexible per seat when using a suitable addressing mechanism also possible. The computing and operating unit 120 has either a control panel 120A and / or an additional keyboard 120B. The manual configuration / operation can be carried out on the ground or during the flight by flight attendants or flight personnel. Preferably, the control and control unit 110 and the computing and operating unit 120 are combined to form a device unit 130.
In Fig. 3, a supply unit 2 is shown in a perspective view. In such a supply unit 2 - also called PSU (Passenger Service Unit) - the display display 3 or 300 of the information and display device 1 or 100 according to the invention is integrated. The display screen 3 or 300 is used instead of the previously used backlit discs for the signs "Please buckle up" and "Please do not smoke". The display screen 3 is arranged in this area at a central location. An arrangement of signs 15A and 15B for a display "Please buckle" and "no smoking" is on the left or right of the display 3. In the supply unit 2 reading lights 13 and call buttons 14 are also integrated.

Different display technologies can be used. Here, however, the required readability under existing light conditions in the aircraft has to be considered. Both multi-color and monochrome displays can be used here. These can be text display, graphic displays or a mix of both. Possible technologies from today's perspective are for example: LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), VFD (Vacuum Fluorescence Display), Flexible LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), Microdisplay, LED Display (Light Emitting Diode), OLED Display (Organic Light Emitting Diode) , TFT display (Thin-Film Transistor) or FED (Field Emitting Display). For sufficient visibility and signaling, the display or the backlight can be made dimmable. An amplification of the signal effect can, for example, additionally be achieved by inverting the display, flashing the backlight or changing the color of the backlight.

• Fluginformationen, beispielsweise Flughöhe, verbleibende Flugzeit, geplante Ankunftszeit, Außentemperatur, Name der Besatzung, Infos zum Flugzeug
• Sicherheitsinformationen
• Werbung, Sonderangebote der Airlines und ihrer Partner
• Aktuelle Informationen wie Nachrichten, Sportinformationen, Börsenkurse, Wetterbericht
• Flughafen-Informationen
• Gates für Anschlußflüge und Abflugzeiten, Gate Changes
• Aktuelle, wichtige Nachrichten

Various variants of the display of information on the display screen 3 or 300 can be seen in FIG. 4. It can be seen that the graphic symbols have been adopted in their symbol form. In addition to the security-relevant signs (fast-seat-belt, no smoking etc.) also informative and entertaining content can be displayed.
As examples are:

• Flight information, such as altitude, remaining flight time, planned arrival time, outside temperature, name of the crew, information about the aircraft
• Safety
• Advertising, special offers of the airlines and their partners
• Current information such as news, sports information, stock market prices, weather report
• Airport Information
• Gates for connecting flights and departure times, gate changes
• Current, important news

The contents can be displayed in multiple languages. Both text and graphic information can be presented. A flexible selection and adaptation of the information content may - depending on the content that should be made available to the passenger - by the airline, if necessary.
By way of example, it is shown that a display 3 or 300 (for information in ticker form, text information) can also be combined with the known signs 15A, 15B (FIGS. 4A, 4B).
In FIGS. 4C and 4D, flags and information are displayed on a common display 3 (300) (color or monochrome). The text information is arranged in the illustration shown in Fig. 4D below the flags. It is also possible that switching between information signs and other information texts takes place, ie that, if necessary, the security-relevant characters are displayed and otherwise information is displayed on the display 3.

Claims (10)

1. An information and display device for a passenger aircraft with a plurality of passenger seats and a plurality of supply units (2, 2') comprising:

   an operating and control unit (10, 11, 11 A, 5, 6, 6') for feeding in and selecting information;

   a plurality of displays (3, 3') for the seat-dependent display of information contents; and

   a data bus system,

   characterised in that
   a display (3, 3') is arranged to be integrated in each supply unit (2, 2') and to be connected to the operating and control unit (10, 11, 11A, 5, 6, 6') by means of said data bus system (4) so that safety-relevant reference symbols and information contents can be flexibly displayed.
2. The information and display device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the data bus system (4) and at least partial operating and control units (10, 11, 11A, 5, 6, 6') are formed by means of a data transmission system and associated components (4, 10, 11, 11 A, 5, 6, 6') installed in the aircraft.
3. The information and display device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the data bus system (400) is designed as a wire-bound system, for example a system based on the standard RS485, or as a wireless system such as Wireless LAN, Bluetooth or Infrared system.
4. The information and display system according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that both storage media (7, 7A, 7B, 7C) and interfaces (9, 900) are provided as information input means (7, 8) for the wireless transmission (8) of data (8A, 8B) communicated to the aircraft or interfaces for transmitting data from the avionic systems of the aircraft.
5. The information and display device according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that CD-ROM's (7A), memory cards (7B), diskettes (7C) and/or USB memories are provided as the storage medium (7).
6. The information and display device according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in that ground to air systems (8A) or satellite technology (8B) can be used as wireless transmission technology (8).
7. The information and display device according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that a direct input/control is provided by means of a control panel (11A, 120A) and/or an externally connectable keyboard (12, 120B) is provided for the computing and operating unit (10, 11; 120).
8. The information and display device according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the supervision and control unit (110) and the computing and operating unit (120) are combined to form one device unit (130).
9. The information and display device according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the individual displays (3, 3', 300, 300') for the communication of information are actuated in a seat-related manner and/or as a function of the passenger classification based on individual addressing of the information.
10. The information and display device according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the display (3, 300) has a common display for reference symbols and information contents.

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